Report: Switching to Renewables Would Create 2.7 Million New Jobs

Further disproving the notion that transitioning to clean energy would hobble the economy, a new report has found that switching to renewable forms of electricity and phasing out coal would create 2.7 million new jobs.According to Green Inc the new report, called Working for the Climate (pdf), would grow the global electrical workforce to 11.3 million people even while the coal industry continues to shed jobs.

Green Inc explains:

The report suggested that a total of 11.3 million people could be working in the electricity sector and in related efficiency businesses by 2030 if governments phased out fossil fuels and invested in alternatives. Without those changes, 8.6 million people would be working in the electricity sector, the authors said -- adding that the coal industry, which currently employs about 4.7 million people globally, already was on track to contract by 1.4 million jobs even without the transformation the groups called for.

Add this to the fact that the faulty evidence previously used to prop up climate action opponents' argument that embracing clean energy and lowering emissions would kill jobs has been thoroughly debunked, and we're getting back on solid ground. After all, the discussion right now should be focusing on how the clean energy sector can help grow more jobs, not whether it will grow any at all.

Overwhelming evidence shows that developing renewables will expand the workforce in the process (as will other emissions-saving projects like retrofitting buildings to be more energy efficient). And the clean energy sector is already expanding, and adding jobs as it goes--but a push from policymakers could help speed up the process, and help revive and protect nations' environmental and economic health.

Further disproving the notion that transitioning to clean energy would hobble the economy, a new report has found that switching to renewable forms of electricity and phasing out coal would create 2.7 million new jobs.According to Green